Question for breeders

[CHIMP]

Clearly if your a part of this forum you care about these wonderful little creatures. Most of you also know what it takes to be successful. With that being said You also know most of the animals sold by you will die due to owner neglect or lack of knowledge. I am sure you spend a lot of time caring for these animals and, clearly do not want this. I am sure you are also willing to help them with there purchase as well. My question is how do you mentally prepare yourself for this? Personally before getting involved myself. I have seen many friends try and fail, and even after seeing that I still wanted to get involved. I started out myself killing a few and really took it to heart. But I refused to give up. I am now doing very well with my babies and debating on selling or trading myself. I just know what I have seen and what I went through as well as what I see in local pet shops. It scares me. I feel like I may become a crazy chameleon guy instead of selling. How do you get past that feeling?

 

[nightanole]

WAT. You are a "local breeder". Your "customers" have done the home work and are actively searching for captive bred. You are not selling to pet stores or "farms" or random folk who saw this cool blue lizard with hands and bought "the kit".

You are more of a private dog breeder. They are not thinking "all my puppies are going to end up in those horrible mall shops with dozens of other puppies and get kennel cough".


Id say the hardest thing about small batch breeding is once a year you "send your dozen kids off to college" and never see them again, that you spent a year raising from buried to well started.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m not a breeder and still new at this so maybe I’m naive, but are you planning to sell to just anyone? I personally would make sure that the buyer knows exactly the care and expense needed and provide them as much education as needed to better ensure their success. Perhaps creating a basic care sheet to accompany the cham (informing them of the forum of course). I would think if you are selective and only sell to those who can put in the work and expense, you wouldn’t have to worry about potential heartbreak.

 

[AnamCara]

I’m not a breeder and still new at this so maybe I’m naive, but are you planning to sell to just anyone? I personally would make sure that the buyer knows exactly the care and expense needed and provide them as much education as needed to better ensure their success. Perhaps creating a basic care sheet to accompany the cham (informing them of the forum of course). I would think if you are selective and only sell to those who can put in the work and expense, you wouldn’t have to worry about potential heartbreak.

For what its worth -- I was going to purchase a Nosy Be through a reputable breeder recommended on this site. After deposit, I never heard from them again. When I reached out months later to inquire what happened they showed me a baby chameleon and said: "Oh hey thanks for reaching out here is your boy he will be ready to ship in two weeks."

What? I had no cage set up and they didn't even bother to see if I was ready or what my husbandry would look like... I ended up forfeiting the deposit and moving on.

 

[CHIMP]

That is kinda my point. Sure you can give them lots of info. They can do their research and should but most only look surface level. Its not tell they get the animal that they truly see what it takes. The person selling should also do the right thing. But we all know from experience that this does not always happen. Just for the record I am not a breeder, Just a hobbyist. My mention of pet shops is just that even a lot of them do not know what they are doing. Maybe I am just being negative in my thoughts but I am just concerned.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

Clearly if your a part of this forum you care about these wonderful little creatures. Most of you also know what it takes to be successful. With that being said You also know most of the animals sold by you will die due to owner neglect or lack of knowledge. I am sure you spend a lot of time caring for these animals and, clearly do not want this. I am sure you are also willing to help them with there purchase as well. My question is how do you mentally prepare yourself for this? Personally before getting involved myself. I have seen many friends try and fail, and even after seeing that I still wanted to get involved. I started out myself killing a few and really took it to heart. But I refused to give up. I am now doing very well with my babies and debating on selling or trading myself. I just know what I have seen and what I went through as well as what I see in local pet shops. It scares me. I feel like I may become a crazy chameleon guy instead of selling. How do you get past that feeling?

I love keeping these babies. I got 5 eggs from @Matt Vanilla Gorilla . With his Constant guidance we successfully hatched all five . They thrived I hand picked whom they were to go to . 2 of the keepers I gave no Choice lol . One was greener then grass I helped her set up the enclosure, order what she would need went over supplement schedule etc . She did well for a month , Then he was gone he died . I to this day beat myself up over choosing her for Loki’s keeper . I have no idea how real breeders prepare for how many of them will die . I’ve decided rescuing is a much better plan for me .

 

[CHIMP]

I love keeping these babies. I got 5 eggs from @Matt Vanilla Gorilla . With his Constant guidance we successfully hatched all five . They thrived I hand picked whom they were to go to . 2 of the keepers I gave no Choice lol . One was greener then grass I helped her set up the enclosure, order what she would need went over supplement schedule etc . She did well for a month , Then he was gone he died . I to this day beat myself up over choosing her for keeper . I have no idea how real breeders prepare for how many of them will die . I’ve decided rescuing is a much better plan for me .

That is exactly what I am talking about. I am sorry you went through that. I know that had to be hard for you, But you prove my point so thank you. I have also looked into rescue and me and a friend are going to build a facility for saving unwanted reptiles. more over the big ones that people get. and completely not for profit.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

That is exactly what I am talking about. I am sorry you went through that. I know that had to be hard for you, But you prove my point so thank you. I have also looked into rescue and me and a friend are going to build a facility for saving unwanted reptiles. more over the big ones that people get. and completely not for profit.

We kept 2 and let go of 3 . We did not sell them , I only wanted good homes for my babies . It was hard letting them go . I seriously cried for weeks !!. I loved them so very much . I made a deal with all 3 keepers if anything was ever to happen , they could no longer care for them to return them to me . I really thought I had given the new keeper all she needed as well as she was just around the corner , we have amazing Vet and I had provided Loki’s pet ins . She did text me that she had concerns that morning . I did not make it to him to get him to the vet before he died . I will never ever become a breeder . Emotionally I’m not set up for it .

I have a few years before retiring . I will most definitely have a rescue.

 

[CHIMP]

We kept 2 and let go of 3 . We did not sell them , I only wanted good homes for my babies . It was hard letting them go . I seriously cried for weeks !!. I loved them so very much . I made a deal with all 3 keepers if anything was ever to happen , they could no longer care for them to return them to me . I really thought I had given the new keeper all she needed as well as she was just around the corner , we have amazing Vet and I had provided Loki’s pet ins . She did text me that she had concerns that morning . I did not make it to him to get him to the vet before he died . I will never ever become a breeder . Emotionally I’m not set up for it .

I have a few years before retiring . I will most definitely have a rescue.

That is where I am at. I feel like in order to sell, trade, or even give, I would need some sort of emotional detachment. Something I do not think I could handle.

 

[nightanole]

That is where I am at. I feel like in order to sell, trade, or even give, I would need some sort of emotional detachment. Something I do not think I could handle.

If you are not ballin your eyes out at the post office you are not doing it right.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

That is where I am at. I feel like in order to sell, trade, or even give, I would need some sort of emotional detachment. Something I do not think I could handle.

I think so many need rescuing , people that truly can help them . They are little gems and most do not get that . All the wrong reasons they are kept 80% of the time . Are you and considering breeding ??

 

[CHIMP]

ignore, not sure how to delete

 

[CHIMP]

I think so many need rescuing , people that truly can help them . They are little gems and most do not get that . All the wrong reasons they are kept 80% of the time . Are you and considering breeding ??

Well I have a few chameleons, My first was a female and I had to learn about being egg bound and all that the hard way. I figured since she needs to lay eggs anyway. Why not mate her and see how it goes. I am now up to over 100 fertile eggs and no idea what to do with them all (I did not expect so much at all). I can not house them all permanently and would not mind some return on investment. I could even use the money to purchase more/better equipment. Even trades would be good with me. I still have to get past actually hatching them but seem to be in a good place. I started to consider breeding small time just to offset costs but this is where I started thinking about the actuality of it. My babies are precious to me, and I am starting to reconsider my choices.

 

[CHIMP]

I honestly only expected a few eggs at a time. But i feel like I am in a reptile version of 101 Dalmatians lol. her first egg laying I though was only a few tell i dug them up and found 56. 6 moths later she laid 41. first batch 48 where fertile and this last batch all are fertile. That is a lot of little ones.

 

[Kristen Wilkins]

I honestly only expected a few eggs at a time. But i feel like I am in a reptile version of 101 Dalmatians lol. her first egg laying I though was only a few tell i dug them up and found 56. 6 moths later she laid 41. first batch 48 where fertile and this last batch all are fertile. That is a lot of little ones.

That sure is wow !!. I hear this often however . Get the green house ready .

 

[CHIMP]

That sure is wow !!. I hear this often however . Get the green house ready .

No kidding. Well that is a positive. I have two acres of land so we have plenty of room for them. Already looking at sheds and screen houses. I do not think I am going to breed them again though. I am going to stick with my leopard geckos lol